Published 5:30 am, Monday, June 4, 2007

Jackson's stable of mixed martial artists tore through the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2006. Diego Sanchez, Nathan Marquardt, Rashad Evans and Keith Jardine combined to give Team Jackson a 11-1 record in the Championship, validating Jackson as one of the top trainers in the fight game.

However, the competition has had a bit more pop in its punch this year. Josh Koscheck beat an ailing and ineffective Sanchez at UFC 69 in April, while Jardine's night at UFC 71 last month ended in 48 seconds after he was knocked out by UFC rookie Houston Alexander.

The other Team Jackson twosome has done its part to wave the team flag. Marquardt and Evans have one win each in 2007, but they will enter the octagon as underdogs in their next fights against the middleweight champion and the former light-heavyweight champion, respectively.

It's a much-deserved title shot for the soft-spoken Marquardt, who has compiled a 28-6-1 record, with most of his victories coming in Japan's King of Pancrase organization. The 28-year-old will face middleweight belt-holder Anderson Silva in the main event of UFC 73 in Sacramento on July 7.

"Silva's an incredibly dangerous striker, and he showed some well-rounded ground skills in his last fight against (Travis) Lutter, but Nate matches up real well," said Jackson, whose training camp has put Albuquerque, N.M., on the MMA map. "I think he's going to be able to handle the feet war, and I think he's better on the ground. So he matches up extremely well."

Marquardt, who has yet to lose in four fights since joining the UFC in 2005, can't match Silva's striking prowess. But as Marquardt showed in his last fight against Dean Lister, his stand-up is improving.

"There's not one thing that Nate's best at. He's good at everything," Jackson said. "He's one of those guys who can tap you out on the ground. He can knock you out on his feet, and he's mentally really strong. While he doesn't have any outstanding strengths, he pretty much has no weaknesses."

Evans fits into that well-rounded mold as well. He doesn't overwhelm opponents with any one fighting discipline but has effective wrestling skills, dangerous ground-and-pound and an improving stand-up.

The former Michigan State wrestler has made a career out of grinding out decision victories in the UFC. He went the distance in each of his first six wins but has stopped his last two opponents by technical knockout and KO.

The former reality-show fighter will bring a 15-0 record into UFC 73 against Tito Ortiz. It's a step up in caliber of competition for Evans, who's in no rush to fight for the 205-pound crown.

"I'll take a title shot whenever I can get one, but if I was able to give myself some time, being realistic about it, I'll say about a year," said the 27-year-old Evans. "There's a lot I need to work on in my game. I don't think there is a perfect fighter out there, and I don't think I'm a perfect fighter."

A victory over Ortiz would be the biggest of Evans' career and help take some of the sting out of the last two UFC debacles for Team Jackson.

Mental game questioned

Unlike many fighters who have transitioned to mixed martial arts from wrestling, grappling or kickboxing, St-Pierre grew up in martial arts. He started karate when he was 6 years old. With that pedigree and all-around athletic ability, St-Pierre has emerged as one of the best mixed martial artists in the world today.

St-Pierre's boss, however, has concerns about the former welterweight champion's mental approach to fighting.

"After watching that Matt Serra fight, I question Georges St-Pierre's mental ability to fight," said UFC president Dana White, referring to Serra's first-round destruction of the Canadian at UFC 69. "This kid was so nervous to fight Matt Serra, it was blowing my mind. I think that Georges St-Pierre needs to work on his mental game."

Be thankful White isn't conducting your next employee evaluation. St-Pierre's comeback is slated to begin in August at UFC 74 against Josh Koscheck. It's a matchup that might be just the tonic GSP needs. He has historically performed well against wrestling-bred fighters.